“The Vatos are the best team we have faced in a very long time, a very physical team,” noted Coach Allan Wilson after his No. 3 nationally ranked Denver University overcame the No. 9 NMHU Vatos 21-5 earlier this month at Perkins Stadium.

Although the disciplined Pioneers team controlled most of the ball and tempo, the score mildly flattered DU (9-0) as the New Mexico Highlands University Vatos (8-1) initially led the game, were dangerous with the ball in hand, and tackled relentlessly.

Erick Rangel’s bid for a national wrestling championship came up short this past weekend, with the New Mexico Highlands University standout finishing 0-2 at the NCAA Division II tournament in Cleveland, Ohio.

Rangel was locked in a narrow battle in his second match, and only a takedown awarded late in the second period made the difference in knocking him out of the wrestle-back bracket. Patrick Mestrez of Belmont Abbey took the 5-4 verdict after allowing only a single point — on a Rangel escape — in the third period.

In each of Katrin Silva’s last three ultra races, the Las Vegas-area resident has taken the women’s first place award.

On Oct. 19, Silva was the 1st Place Woman and 4th overall at the Deadman Peaks 50-Miler in New Mexico. Last month, Feb. 15, she was the 1st Place Woman and 9th overall at the Black Canyon 100K in Arizona.

And on Saturday Silva was the First Place Woman and third overall at the Monument Valley 50-Miler in Utah.

By John Marshall
AP Basketball Writer
College basketball fans, start your brackets.
March Madness kicks into high gear this week with the start of the NCAA tournament, the time hoop heads circle the calendar like it’s Christmas.
This year’s run through the field of 68 should be a blast — an undefeated team in the bracket, a wide-open field and a heavy dose of great players.
So stock up the fridge, work on that fake cough to call in sick and dig the remote from under the couch cushions. It’s time to roll.

New Mexico Highlands University’s new Student Union Building was certified as LEED Gold for its state-of-the-art green building features like ground-source technology to help heat and cool the building and large computerized external shades that maximize natural light while helping regulate building temperature.

The 67,000-square-foot student union opened in Spring 2013 at the northwest corner of National Avenue and 8th St.

For years, Charles M. Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip appeared in newspapers throughout the globe. But what would Charlie Brown and company of the comic strip be like as teenagers?

The answer may possibly be found within the upcoming theater production of “Dog see God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead.” The play is an unauthorized parody based on Peanuts characters, but with different names, written by Bert V. Royal.